Archives

Category: Blogging

While working on my Dare to Dresden quilt, I decided I wanted to have a Rainbow-striped binding for it using some of my hand-dyes.

Here is how I did it:

I first cut 2” strips (22” strips) of each of my fabrics and then I sewed them together along the long edge of the strip – staggering them 2” from the end: I only put six strips together like this to make cutting easier later.

I made sure to press each seam open. This reduces the bulk. I do this when joining my binding regularly anyway.

The next step (no photo, sorry) is to take a longer ruler and line up the 45-degree mark with one of the seams and cut the staggered ends off creating your strait line. Then it is just as simple as cutting each bias strip 2-1/2”. To keep it accurate, line the 45-degree mark up on a seam to make sure your angle is still accurate.

Once your strips are cut, ,then just join your strips together end to end as you would normally for bias binding strips, pressing seams open.

If you have more colors/fabrics that you want to use (for instance in a 12-step rainbow), just make different sets of strips and then join them together when making the length of the binding, alternating strip sets, continuing until you have enough binding to complete the perimeter of the quilt.

Once you have your binding strip made ( folded and pressed in half) – here are some tips to help you attach it easier:

Leave a 12” opening with 12” tails on both ends for joining the binding seamlessly. I use “the binding tool” for joining the ends of my binding together. Instructions can be found on the tool.

I also sew with a 3/8” seam. I like my bindings to be tight, but completely filled and even. This is how I get them and still able to get crisp mitered corners:

First, take a square post-it note and fold it in half diagonally. I place it in the corner as below and sew to the post-it note.

Follow the stitching along the edge of the post-it note to the corner of the quilt.

Take the post-it note and flip it to lay in this direction below.

Use the post-it note as a guide for folding: Flip the binding fabric as the photo below and fold it there. As you are holding the fabric down in that position, carefully pull out the post-it note.

Place the post-it note in the corner of the quilt as below. Again, use the edge of the post-it note as a guide to fold. Flip the binding back along the edge of the quilt

Flip the binding back along the edge of the quilt.

Carefully pull out the post-it note. Until you get really good at holding this edge without pins, I suggest pinning the binding down. This creates a nice, even fold for the miter.

Now you just sew from the edge all the way to the next corner where you repeat the steps above.

I have been doing my binding like this for over a year and have not had a horrible corner, even when a seam ends up in the corner like it seems to inevitably.

On Jan 2, Mollie posted about how she keeps track of her quilts finished. I had been doing posts and then updating the page whenever I got a chance, because it was a tedious process because it was two separate pages, each using a funky html table.

I spent all of this morning making my own Google Docs spreadsheet to keep track of my quilts. Thank you Mollie for showing yours and giving me ideas on how to set mine up. I remembered how that because I use a self-hosted WordPress blog, that I could add a plugin to be able to display the spreadsheet on a page. So if you look above I have updated the links. One now says “Projects”. It is an embedding of my spreadsheet. Whenever I update the spreadsheet, it will update there as well. One step nirvana! Again, Thanks Mollie for the inspiration!

Just a quick note though, you can choose between three different spreadsheet pages – Started this year, works in progress, and completed projects.

I can’t believe- I have 101104 listed completed projects (I have discovered a few of my very early quilts from 2000-2002 that were completed were not listed) ! I have 40 WIPs listed (2 abandoned and 9 donated to charity), and then one as starting new items this year.

This month’s Schnibble was completed on Monday – just before I had to leave for guild.

I did it in “Twirl” by Me & My Sister Designs. I had recieced a charm pack from my secret pal last month and so I bought a second one and some yardage for tthe back. It was a very easy pattern, but I could only do one block at a time because I wanted to make sure the placement was right.

I just quilted in the ditch around the card trick blocks and then again around the HST border piecces.

Here is the back – lime green of course.

It turned out so cute. I did have a photo of my top and my friend Jo Anne’s top together, but alas, it is on my laptop and the laptop is at the repair facility.

The screen on my laptop is cracked. Thank goodness for my extended warranty that covers the repair. it will take about two weeks for shipping and the repair. I have to wait for the return box to get here, pack up the laptop and ship it back. Then the repair and they will ship it back – and there is a holiday in there somewhere too!

I am blogging from my iPad right now, but it is a bit of a pain to type on the on-screen keyboard. Plus, I can’t move photos from my camera to my iPad. The camera on it and my phone doesn’t take very good photos.

I did order a keyboard and a card reader for it, but they will probably get here later in the week.

Complete Love Letters – Month 3 – I finished one, but ran out of fabric and had to order more.

5 Arrowhead blocks – DONE. Though only 4 got photographed. Oh well.

Love Letters Month 4 – Nope – I have a mental roadblock when it comes to this quilt, I guess.

Designer Mystery Month 9 – DONE!!

2 blocks for the Super Secret Project #3 – I got one finished and started the other one. My machine really didn’t like the fabric that was given to me and was eating the fabric. I don’t have a single stitch plate for my 6600 yet – so I will probably take it with me on Saturday to the Sassy Bee and work on it since that one has a single stitch plate.

Design Super Secret Project #4 aka my guild’s annual challenge quilt – I won’t be able to post anything – even teasers – about this until May because the members will vote on this and I know some of them read my blog. DONE!! I even pulled fabrics and ordered threads to start working on it next week. It has to be appliqued so I also traced the pattern on to the back of the base block so I can back-baste applique it.

Not on the list that got done:

4 Tsunami “quilt tops”. I really am having fun with them. I also pulled fabrics for 4 more “tops”. Sunday, I worked on another quilt top and got all the units made for it. Now just to trim the units and put it together.

Blessing Block #1 from Temecula Quilt Co. This was such a cute block and quick, that I couldn’t pass up another mystery from them.

I sure don’t know where this last week went off to but I want it back!! It flew by. Before I knew it, it was Friday and I hadn’t gotten anything done on my list!

Quilt the five tsunami quilt tops that are done. Get them ready for binding.

Again – try to get months 3 & 4 on Love Letters done.

Quick clean of sewing room. It is getting a bit messy.

Work on Terrain Maze at the Sassy S & B Quilters bee

Work on Month 1 of Merry Merry Snowmen. I ordered threads and I should be ready to start this now.

I do have to do some guild stuff this week. The kids are out of school on Friday for a little over a week since Spring Break is next week.